Collapsible tube



x (No Model.)

7 W. S. SOALES.

GOLLAPSIBLE TUBE.

Patefited 001;. 29, 1895.

; UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE,

WILLIAM S. SCALES, OF EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS.

COLLAPSIBLE TUB E..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,890, dated October29, 1895.

Application filed December a, 1894.

$0 obZZ whom it may concern.- I

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM S. SCALES, of Everett, county of Middlesex,and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in CollapsibleTubes, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawingsrepresenting like parts.

This invention has for its object to improve and cheapen theconstruction of collapsible tubes,used for paint, ointments, and otherplastic materials.

The invention consists, primarily, in a tube havinga rigid head, with anoutlet and means for closing it-such, for instance, as a screwcap-and anindependent collapsible reinforced tubular body secured to said head,

adapted to be compressed to expel the material, and rolled up as thematerial is used. This independent collapsible tubular body having thetwo capabilities referred to may be composed of two tubes, the innertube beingbody, the outer tube may be printed upon and thereby serve asthe label.

If the collapsible tubular body is composed of three tubes, then theinner tube will be made of paste-proof material, which may be easilyfrangible, and the second tube, or the one which is superimposed on theinner one, may be made of stout reinforcing or strengthening material,and the outer tube may be made of any material which will serve as alabel.

Whether the collapsible tubular body is composed of two or more tubes, Iprefer that they terminate substantially flush at their lower ends,being flattened, folded, and sealed at said end, as, for instance, by ametallic clip.

By folding and sealing the outer or covering tube in with the inner tubea much better result is produced than when the inner tube is itselffolded and sealed, as a much Serial No. 530,657- (No model.)

stronger end is secured-onethat cannot be easily ruptured. As, forinstance, if said 1nner tube is made of easily frangible material,

it is necessary to include or seal in the incloslapsible tubular bodybeing composed of three tubes, the lower ends of which are folded andsealed; Fig. 2, a right-handv side view of the same; Fig. 3, a verticalsection of the same prior to folding and sealing the lower ends; Fig. 4,a perspective detail" of the metallic clip by means of which the lowerend is sealed; Fig. 5, a vertical section of a modified form of tubewherein the collapsible tubular body portion is composed of two tubes;Fig. 6, a vertical section 'of the, head.

The head or end piece a may be made of Wood or glass or other material,having a central hole a through it, which serves as an outlet for thetube, and havinga short neck or nipple a which is preferably externallyscrewthreaded. Around the perimeter of the head a a circumferentialgroove a is formed, which contains a rubber band. A metallic or otherclosing cap or stopper will be provided for the outlet at.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, the inner tube b, of any suitablevlength, iswrapped around the head a, covering the groove of, the edges of thematerial composing the tube being folded, to form a funnel or otherseam, or they maybe simply overlapped, said edges being secured by anyadhesive material or solder. This inner tube may be made of tin-foil orleadfoil or paper properly treated or sized, insuring in any event apaste-proof tubethat is to say, the material of which the inner tube iscomposed is adapted to resist or hold any liquid which may be used informing the plastic material which may be contained in the tube, or anyoleaginous or other greasy matter which may form a component part of theplastic material or which may be used as the plastic material, and henceby the term paste-proof ICO I mean any such resisting material. In casethin tin or lead foil is used the expense will be decreased, yet suchmaterial is of a very frangible nature and must be reinforced orstrengthened. Apiece of stout paper or other material is then wrappedaround the inner tube b, snugly fitting it and forming acoveringctherefor, said covering being preferably pasted or otherwisesecured in place, and it is made to extend from end to end of the innertube, and in such case surrounding the head a. A binding cord 1) is thenwound around the perimeter of the head a, sinking into the groove atherein, together with the material of the tubes 1) and 0, therebysecuring said tubular body firmly to the head. This tube creinforces orstrengthens the inner tube. The outer tube (1, which is printed upon,serves as the label, is then floated or otherwise secured upon the tube0, it also preferably extending from end to end of the tubular body. Thecompleted tube thus formed, and shown in Fig. 3, is in condition to befilled, the material being introduced at its lower end, although saidend may be first sealed and the material introduced at the upper end, ifdesired.

To seal the lower open end, the inner tube and its covering are foldedatsaid end, the lower edges of all the tubes being turned over togetherfor a short distance, and a metallic clip, such as represented in Fig.4:, is applied and firmly compressed onto the folded end, and the tubeshown in Figs 1 and 2 is produced.

I find that by making the inner tube of light-weight material andthereafter reinforcing or strengthening the same with a stout paperwrapper the expense of manufacturing the tube is materially diminished.Furthermore, I find that by sealing the lower end with a metallic clip amore secure seal is provided than would be the case were the lower edgesmerely turned over, particularly when using light-weight material forthe inner tube, as there is not sufficient body or stiffness to it toform in itself a secure seal when overturned or to hold the metallicclip unless the reinforcing material is sealed in with it. Furthermore,I find that the tedious operation of labeling the tube after it has beenfilled, as well as the expense incident thereto, is avoided, and thatthe completed tube havinga label sealed in at the lower end has theappearance of a made-to-order tube, as each consumers name will beprinted upon the label.

In case the label is omitted and the second tube used as the outer tube,(see Fig. 5,) then said second tube maybe printed upon, serving as thelabel, or be made to extend from end to end of the inner tube, andtherefore sealed in at the lower end. In many cases, however, such aconstruction does not give to the collapsible tubular body portionsufficient strength to hold the material as it is compressed or workedto expel it and rolled up as the materialis used. In the event, however,of the inner tube being made of pre-' pared paper, as it may be for somematerials, then the second tube is all that is necessary.

When wooden heads are employed, they may be treated in various ways tomake them paste-proof and to prevent expansion; but to obviate theexpense of such treatment, as well as to produce a more efficient head,Iprefer to use glass.

1. A tube for plastic materials, consisting of a head having an outlet,means for closing it, a; tubular body having thereon an inde-' pendenttubular reinforcing label extending from end to end, the lower end ofsaid tubular body, with its label, being flattened, folded, and sealedby means of a metallic clip.

2. A tube for plastic materials, consisting of a rigid head, having anoutlet, means for closing it, and a collapsible tubular body se cured tosaid head, and comprising a paste proof inner tube, and an outerindependent tubular reinforcing wrapper or covering inclosing the innertube from end to end, the lower ends of both tubes being flattened,folded, and sealed.

3. A tube for plastic materials, consisting of a rigid head having anoutlet, means for closing it, and a collapsible tubular body havingsuperimposed thereon and forming a component part of it an independentreinforcing label which extends from end to end, said collapsibletubular body being secured to said head at one end, and flattened,folded, and sealed at the other, and adapted to be compressed to expelthe material and rolled up as the material is used.

4. A tube for plastic materials consisting of a head provided with anoutlet and having a circumferential groove, a collapsible tubular bodycomprising an inner paste-proof tube, and an independent outerreinforcing or strengthening tube, said tube being secured at one end-tothe head, by means of a cord entering said groove, and being flattened,folded, and sealed, at the other end.

5. The collapsible tube herein described consisting of an end piece, aninner tube of easily frangible material secured thereto, and anindependent outer reinforcing or strengthening covering superimposedthereon, and operating to reinforce or strengthen theinner tube from endto end, the lower ends of both the tube and its covering beingflattened, and folded upon itself, and a metallic clip inclosing andsealing said lower folded ends.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM S. SCALES.

Witnesses:

B. J. NOYES, O. B. GROCKER.

